We're supposed to be at our most patriotic on Sunday – but almost two-thirds dream of spending Paddy’s Day in New York.

A total of 62% named the city as their ideal place to drown the shamrock, Hotels.com has revealed.

In its survey, people were given the chance to pick several top destinations, and 29% would love to celebrate the day of our patron saint in Chicago.

More than a quarter named Sydney and Las Vegas in a top five.

With the Big Apple topping the poll, it’s no surprise New York’s famous festivities were the leading choice for parade hunters.

Boston, which has 600,000 visitors a year for the green celebrations, was second with 38%.

Although Buckingham Palace won’t have an emerald hue on March 17, just under half said they would like to see the London icon embracing the Paddy’s Day spirit by going green.

New York’s Statue of Liberty and the Sydney Opera House were the second favourite landmarks to be lit up with each getting 16% of the vote. Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue was third with 9%.

More than three-quarters have spent St Patrick’s Day abroad and around 32% would travel to mark the holiday.

Kate Hopcraft, of Hotels.com, said: “While the bank holiday weekend will see an influx of visitors into Dublin, it’s interesting to see many Irish people use the bank holiday weekend to enjoy the festivities abroad.”

Meanwhile, we might feel compelled to drink alcohol to celebrate St Patrick’s Day whether people want to or not, a study has revealed.

Even teetotallers are under pressure to raise a glass as booze consumption is romanticised in our culture, said a Northumbria University academic.

Marketing lecturer Matthew Kearney, from Co Derry, also found people used credit cards and borrowed money to support the celebrations.

Mr Kearney, who studied 70 Irish people’s shopping habits for his PhD, also found that while everyone “did something for St Patrick’s Day”, not all those with a partner celebrated Valentine’s Day.